<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>even when my body blows away, my soul will stay by iPhone</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23451070">even when my body blows away, my soul will stay</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/iPhone/pseuds/iPhone'>iPhone</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>now i see daylight [11]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Pitch Perfect (Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Babies, F/F, Fame, Family, Fluff, Idk what to say, Like it's just beca and her baby</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 14:21:28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,539</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23451070</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/iPhone/pseuds/iPhone</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Four days in NYC away from her very pregnant girlfriend feels like a lifetime. But at least Beca has the cutest travel buddy ever—her two-year-old baby.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Chloe Beale &amp; Beca Mitchell, Chloe Beale/Beca Mitchell</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>now i see daylight [11]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1625614</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>55</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>233</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>even when my body blows away, my soul will stay</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Title from Ingrid Michaelson’s “Home”. I don’t really know what this is...just go with it. For <a href="http://asimplefavors.tumblr.com/">Chloe</a>. This is a bit into the future (obviously) of this universe and subsequently reveals a lot more about Beca and Chloe's relationship and where it is. Hope you enjoy and sorry this isn't smutty.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Age: 31/32</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>New York, New York</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>February</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>Emma trots in front of Beca, just a step or two ahead, happily wielding her miniature purse like she knows exactly how to pose for cameras already. Beca tilts her head with a smile, wondering just when Emma grew up so quickly right before her eyes.</p><p>As always when she thinks about Emma, she thinks about Chloe, back home in their Los Angeles villa...and, of course, their newest family member who is well on her way.</p><p>She thinks of Chloe’s decidedly grumpy face as Beca and Emma left just yesterday morning, but Chloe is simply too pregnant to travel and Beca’s press obligations for her voice-acting role in an upcoming animated film seemed like a good opportunity to get Emma out of the house. Also, some much-needed one-on-one time and a break for Chloe and her seemingly endless patience for Emma’s incessant demands as to when <em>her </em>(Emma had somehow taken a liking to referring to their incoming family member as her own baby, which despite Beca and Chloe’s endless efforts ) baby would be ready to play. Or whether Chloe would let her balance her blocks on her stomach again.</p><p>Still, Beca misses Chloe terribly and more than ever, wishes she were back on the west coast cuddling with the love of her life in their comfortable home. She winces as the sound of cars rushing all around them and quickly reaches out to hold Emma’s hand.</p><p>“Stay close to me,” Beca instructs when she sees the paparazzi ahead of them, already snapping photos. They seem docile for the moment, only occasionally shouting out questions. Beca somewhat recognizes their faces as regulars whenever she comes to New York. She only hopes that they keep their voices low and their words appropriate as to not startle or scare Emma.</p><p>Not that it seems like Emma is paying them any mind. Beca’s grin grows again when she notes how big of a fucking <em>ham </em>her kid is, playing it up for the camera. She just <em>knows </em>Emma got that from Chloe, somehow. All that confidence and taking everything in stride. It had taken Beca years before getting used to the entire atmosphere of being famous and most days she’s still not used to it. She’s not quite sure how she feels about Emma adapting so easily to all of this, but for now she’s just happy that Emma is content.</p><p>She makes a mental note to tell Chloe about it and maybe perhaps even break their code about looking at paparazzi photos because she’s pretty damn sure that the fact that Emma’s jacket matches her own jacket is something that might be so ridiculously cute that Chloe will demand they print a few copies. Beca makes an additional mental note to thank her stylist for pulling strings and getting almost an exact miniature replica of the designer suit jacket Beca has on. It looks <em>adorable</em> on Emma and Beca isn’t afraid to say it.</p><p>“We say hello?” Emma asks, slowing to a stroll as they near the wall of people waiting for Beca just at the entrance to the building.</p><p>“Not today, Em. Maybe one or two, but mama has to go inside really quickly, okay?”</p><p>Emma smiles at her. “Okay, mama.”</p><p>Beca smiles back before bending down to pick Emma up quickly. “Don’t look at the lights, baby.”</p><p>Emma tucks her head against Beca’s shoulder in a brief show of shyness before she nods. “Okay, mama,” she repeats like the absolute angel she is.</p><p>It turns out that her daughter is a bit of a trickster too because the moment they get close enough for somebody to fire off a question, Emma’s head immediately pops up and she responds animatedly as if Beca’s words had no meaning whatsoever.</p><p>“Beca! Beca—what’s next on the agenda for you?”</p><p>“Is Chloe with you? Is she supposed to be travelling?”</p><p>“Beca, how’s the wife?”</p><p>Beca chuckles at that particular question without responding. She knows it is something that is purposefully brought up time and time again simply because the world refuses to let go of the fascination surrounding her and Chloe’s decision to <em>not </em>get married before having Emma. She supposes now with a second child on the way, the rumour mill is exceptionally full and just desperate in its desire to unleash something particularly spiteful.</p><p>“No comment,” Beca says at large, smiling apologetically at the one fan who managed to sneak her way into the throng of paparazzi. She would stop but with her arms full of precious cargo, she doesn’t feel like risking a potential injury, especially for Emma with all the heavy equipment around.</p><p>Emma grins at the closest reporter before she begins to wave, cheerily saying, “Hello!” and “Bye-bye!” like she is absolutely a pro at delivering soundbites. Then, to Beca’s horror, Emma says, “butter on mommy!” with absolutely no context because she’s, well, <em>two</em>, but Beca’s face heats up immediately, already envisioning future headlines. <em>Beca Mitchell—butter kink?</em> It is possibly still the <em>cutest</em> thing ever however because Emma says it with such determination, but because of her tiny high-pitched voice, it comes out sounding 100 times less incriminating than if Beca had said something like that herself.</p><p>To be fair, Emma is referring to how she has recently been allowed to help Chloe apply body butter to her growing stomach. Unfortunately that is <em>not </em>easily contextualized. Still, Beca hastens to correct <em>that </em>before it gets back to Chloe who probably won’t be too happy with that characterization. “She means, like, lotion,” she explains hastily before pulling open the door and darting inside, still unsure if that was a better explanation at all. She chuckles at Emma’s bewildered expression upon not being able to talk with her ‘friends’. “Told you we had to be quick.”</p><p>The security guard gestures towards the elevators. “Right this way, Ms. Mitchell.”</p><p>Beca pauses in her blatant adoration of her child and slips on her professional mask. “Right, thank you.”</p><p>“Mama work?” Emma asks as they enter an elevator. Then, sadly, “Mama bye-bye?”</p><p>“Yeah, just for a bit,” Beca says, reaching up to brush at Emma’s hair. “But you can play with Julia,” she says excitedly, referring to her publicist who somehow manages to hold lengthy conversations with her toddler. It is a skill that few adults seem to be able to achieve with Emma, outside of Beca and Chloe.</p><p>“Juwia,” Emma repeats.</p><p>“<em>Julia</em>,” Beca attempts to correct even though she thinks Emma’s speech is the cutest ever. She wouldn’t be opposed to hearing those little blips and the sound of tiny voice for a little while longer.</p><p>“Juwia.”</p><p>“Okay,” Beca laughs.</p><p>Emma laughs back like she’s sharing a secret joke with Beca, reaching up to touch Beca’s cheek tenderly before she sighs and rests her head against Beca’s shoulder. Before Beca can do something totally embarrassing like take a million selfies just to send to Chloe, the elevator dings open and Beca mourns the loss of their little bubble being burst as light floods into the small space. Before she knows it, she is already being ushered off into the little green room where she’s meant to get ready with her team.</p><p>Emma giggles delightedly upon seeing Hannah who immediately squeals in return and drops her make-up bag on the closest chair and reaches out to pull Emma in for a kiss and a hug. Beca <em>should </em>be concerned at how easily her kid willingly just <em>goes </em>to other people, but she warms at the sight of a group of people she trusts interact so freely and wonderfully with her baby.</p><p><em>And another one on the way soon</em>, Beca’s mind reminds her as if she had somehow forgotten.</p><p>“Missing the wife?” Hannah asks knowingly once Emma scurries off to find Jill who is likely hanging up a few of Beca’s clothing choices. She smirks at the way Beca bristles.</p><p>“The <em>wife</em>,” Beca says with emphasis and an eye-roll. “Is, unfortunately, a bit too pregnant to fly without me popping an aneurysm on the flight. So she’s at home. And yes, yes, I am missing Chloe, but Emma and I have some time, which is nice.” Beca shrugs, trying to play off exactly how much she misses her girlfriend and tries to get back into the professional mindset.</p><p>“Jill has a couple fun outfits for you,” Hannah announces, deftly changing the subject. She hums and reaches out to examine Beca’s hair. “Both of you in case your mini-me wants to match again.”</p><p>Beca is secretly excited at the prospect of matching with Emma, mostly because she <em>knows </em>Chloe is going to love it (and likely cry over it, but Beca knows how to soothe her at this point). Outwardly, she simply tries not to smile too much as Hannah begins to fiddle with her make-up and guide Beca over to the miniature sink so she can first wash her face. Beca sighs, knowing that she has to get this over with. She lets the sound of Emma’s delighted screams in the distance soothe her.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>“Hey,” Beca murmurs, settling on the couch quietly when she has a moment to spare. Chloe’s voicemail had been a disappointment, but she can’t blame Chloe for taking the opportunity to sleep in without a rambunctious two-and-a-half-year-old in the house. “I guess you’re still sleeping, but I just wanted to call to say I love you and I miss you...and Emma can’t shut up about you. We’re basically falling apart without you, hope you’re happy.”</p><p>“Mommy?” Emma chimes in from Beca’s immediate left. She reaches for the phone and peers at the screen confusedly as if expecting Chloe’s face to be there. “Mommy,” she repeats, looking up at Beca.</p><p>“Mommy’s sleeping so I’m leaving a message for her before I go to work,” Beca explains. Emma is accustomed to FaceTime and seeing Beca or Chloe’s faces on the small screen. “Want to tell mommy you love her?”</p><p>“Kisses!” Emma exclaims before planting a huge kiss right on Beca’s phone screen. Beca winces at the amount of spit that ends up on the screen and makes a note to teach Emma how to kiss with her mouth closed. “Kisses for mommy,” Emma declares before handing the phone back to Beca with no small measure of pride.</p><p>Emma darts off again, endlessly entertained. Beca wipes the screen hastily before pressing the phone back to her ear.</p><p>“Okay, Emma says she loves you and she basically just licked my phone screen to do so...hope you’re happy, Chlo.” Beca chuckles, her heart clenching unexpectedly when there is no Chloe to respond in kind. She misses Chloe so much already and they’ve only been away for a day. “I miss you,” she says again. “Hope you and baby are doing okay. I’ll call you later. And if you’re bored without us, <em>don’t clean</em> the whole fucking house,” Beca instructs, making sure to lower her voice in case Emma is nearby again. “Just chill out, okay? Okay,” she repeats, mostly to herself because it’s weird not hearing Chloe’s voice agreeing with her or bantering back and forth with her. “Bye, gotta go.”</p><p>Tapping off the call, Beca sighs. She rests her phone on her lap and closes her eyes for a moment.</p><p>A throat is cleared. “Are you ready?”</p><p>She opens her eyes and clicks her phone open so she can just take in the photo she has as her lockscreen: Chloe and Emma and herself all at Santa Monica Pier. If Beca takes a moment, she can remember exactly how the sun had felt against her skin; how tightly Emma had gripped her hand as Chloe and her had swung their baby around, walking up and down the pier; she can feel the gentle press of Chloe’s lips against her cheek just after this photo was taken, cold like the ice cream she had just finished.</p><p>She can see it all—the endless miles of past memories and future memories—and she feels so incredibly lucky to share it with the love of her life.</p><p>She just has to make it through these next few days and she can return home and their family can be together again. The separation anxiety is likely only raring its head in such a horrible way this time around because Chloe is so close to her due date and Beca is feeling exceptionally protective and anxious. That much she knows. But she really, truly hates being apart from her family at all. She didn’t expect the day to drag on so long...and it is still technically morning.</p><p>She gazes at the photo again, hearing the echo of Chloe’s laugh in her ear.</p><p>“Yeah,” Beca finally says. “Let’s go.”</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>The next two hours of press junket interviews drag on, but Beca wills herself to keep a smile plastered on her face throughout the entirety of the time period, lest her publicist chide her for being too overtly wry or grim for a <em>children’s</em> movie. Beca pretty much is only doing this for her own kids (<em>kids! plural!</em>) because she wants cool mom points and it seems like doing voice work for major animated movies is the way to go.</p><p>Also, singing.</p><p>She is mulling over an interview opportunity that had just been suggested to her when she finally hears the sound of Emma’s giggling from behind the door.</p><p>“Ugh, finally,” Beca drawls out loudly as to announce her presence to her giggling child. She pulls her hair free from the loose up-do she had, shaking it out as she enters the green room only for Emma to dart out to greet her instead. “Hey! Where are you going?”</p><p>“Apple,” Emma says, holding the banana up for Beca to look at.</p><p>“Banana,” Beca corrects.</p><p>“Apple,” Emma insists before giggling at Beca’s inability to recognize the fruit in her hand. Beca reaches for her and she screams, darting off. Beca makes a mental note to ask if Julia had slipped some alcohol or sugar to her kid because <em>what the hell</em>? Beca shakes her head, pulling out her phone to dial Chloe’s number while she has down time before her next round of interviews.</p><p>Chloe picks up just as Beca is totally prepared to leave another message. “Finally,” Chloe complains jokingly. “Thought you’d never call me back.”</p><p>“Chlo, hi,” Beca says breathlessly as she chases after Emma who is rushing at a surprisingly fast pace down the hall. She offers an apologetic smile at one of her costars who looks entirely too amused at Beca power-walking down the hall in heels. “Your kid is literally running away from me right now.”</p><p>Chloe’s laugh is like music. “<em>My</em> kid now? Pretty sure she came out of you.”</p><p>“Shut up, she’s yours when she’s crazy fast.”</p><p>Chloe sighs like she is reclining comfortably on their bed. Beca is immediately envious. “Hmm, pretty sure you were the one on the track team, babe.”</p><p>“Hey, one of the outlets had a fun idea for an interview,” Beca says, finally catching up with her baby. “What would you say to letting me and Emma do a little interview? It’d be like a behind the scenes bonus video for YouTube. Julia thinks it’s a good idea but I dunno…”</p><p>Chloe laughs. “That sounds crazy enough to go viral.”</p><p>“But the exposure,” Beca worries.</p><p>“I know,” Chloe agrees softly. “I don’t want it to be too much for her but…”</p><p>“We can request that they turn off comments for the video,” Beca suggests. “But if you think I shouldn’t, then that’s totally fine. I want to know what you think.”</p><p>“God, she really is such a ham for the camera,” Chloe murmurs. Beca laughs, wondering if Chloe is looking at the earlier photos.</p><p>“Definitely didn’t get <em>that</em> from me,” Beca mumbles.</p><p>“Alright, miss Vogue covergirl.”</p><p>“<em>Chloe</em>,” Beca whines. “Stop that.”</p><p>“Stop what?”</p><p>“Stop flirting with me and answer me!” Beca jokes, feeling a light pang in her chest as Chloe laughs along with her.</p><p>“Bec, it’s fine. I trust your judgement and honestly it doesn’t sound horrible. And maybe I just want to see how cute my girlfriend and daughter are on screen together.”</p><p>For some reason the word “girlfriend” stands out to Beca in full force today. Whether it’s because she just happens to be missing Chloe more or because she feels an itch to settle down more than ever before, she can’t be sure. One thing is for certain, Beca knows she needs to have a conversation with Chloe sooner or later.</p><p>“Okay,” Beca finally says. She sighs. “I just...wish you were here. I wish you could be here.” She holds on to a squirming Emma. “Want to talk to this little punk?”</p><p>Chloe laughs. “Sure, put her on FaceTime.”</p><p>Beca does so and immediately wishes she had thought to FaceTime Chloe right at the beginning. She breaks into a smile at Chloe’s face appearing on her screen. “Emma! Baby, look! It’s mommy!”</p><p>Emma gasps dramatically and immediately grabs at the phone, dropping the "banana" she had been holding on the floor. She holds the phone away from her face at arms-length, smiling so widely that Beca wonders if her face hurts at all. “Mommy! Mommy, hi!”</p><p>“Emma! You look so cute! I love your hair, sweetie! Are you having fun?”</p><p>“Mama working!”</p><p>Chloe gasps. “I <em>know</em>! And you’re being a good girl right?”</p><p>Emma smiles, this time shyly in a complete show of how she has both Chloe and Beca wrapped around her tiny finger because Beca can <em>see</em> how Chloe visibly softens even through the screen. “Good girl,” Emma repeats before pointing at herself. “Miss you, mommy,” she says, pressing closer to the screen as if she can get closer. She looks like she might kiss the screen again but she just falls silent for a short moment, content with just watching Chloe smile back at her.</p><p>Beca totally relates.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Emma has an intuition. At first, Beca had rolled her eyes at Chloe when Chloe had pointed it out, but now she kind of sees what Chloe means.</p><p>It’s a kind of...jealousy instinct? Beca isn’t sure how to characterize it without being totally weird considering Emma is <em>two </em>(and a half...<em>Jesus</em>, already?), but it’s that Emma kind of <em>knows</em> when people are flirting with Beca or hitting on her (usually totally unprofessionally, but that’s another issue)...and it’s usually before Beca herself realizes what’s going on.</p><p>She isn’t expecting it to flare up during this press tour considering Beca’s just there for work and she isn’t even dressed to the nines, but Beca notices that Emma suddenly takes to cuddling close to her while she is in the middle of interacting with an over-enthusiastic interviewer off-camera, off-record.</p><p>“Hi you,” Beca greets, reaching down to lift Emma into her arms. She smiles apologetically at Angela (or was it Amy?). “Sorry, you were saying?”</p><p>“Oh, she’s adorable. Yours, right? She looks exactly like you.”</p><p>Before Beca can respond with an awkward thank you (she still doesn’t know how to take compliments even though she wholeheartedly agrees that Emma is the cutest baby on the planet), Emma is grabbing her cheeks with both hands and saying, with startling firmness, “mommy kiss.”</p><p>Beca isn’t quite sure what to make of that and gently shakes her face out of Emma’s grasp, raising an eyebrow.</p><p>“Are you mommy?” the interviewer asks with a laugh, none the wiser.</p><p>“Mommy <em>kiss</em>!” Emma repeats before turning to stare at the interviewer with a <em>look </em>that Beca has definitely seen before...on Chloe’s face.</p><p>
  <em>Oh.</em>
</p><p>Beca’s face heats up. “Um, yeah. I’m...yeah,” she lies before laughing awkwardly. She takes a quick step back feeling guilty for no real discernible reason, but now that she’s actually <em>looking</em>, the body language is—yeah. Awkward. “I think she’s a little cranky, I’m just going to let her lie down for a bit, but it was nice talking to you.” Beca can’t quite make it away fast enough, barely resisting from bursting into laughter as she exits into a quiet room, away from prying eyes. “You’re horrible, you know that?” she tells Emma affectionately. “No,” she sighs. “You’re not. You’re like...ridiculously perfect.”</p><p>“Sleep now?” Emma asks eagerly. “Sleep, mama,” she insists, sounding so much like Chloe that Beca has to do a double take.</p><p>“Soon,” Beca promises.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>By the third night, Beca is so exhausted from all the running around that she can barely keep her eyes open. However, Emma is rolling around in the large bed, excitedly playing with the stuffed Pluto that Beca had bought her from the Disney Store in Times Square. Emma makes little shrieking sounds that Beca <em>thinks </em>sound like barks, but she can’t be sure. Emma could just be screaming for the sake of screaming and Beca wouldn’t be any wiser.</p><p>“Read, mama!” Emma says once Beca finishes towelling off her hair.</p><p>Beca flops onto the bed next to Emma, pulling Pluto from her. “This is a dog,” she says clearly. “What sound do dogs make?”</p><p>Emma makes a barking sound.</p><p>“Oh, so you <em>do</em> know what they sound like,” Beca mutters. She grins and leans into press kisses against Emma’s rosy cheeks, eliciting giggles and flailing arms as Emma tries to push her away.</p><p>“Mama, stop!”</p><p>“Okay, okay,” she relents. She can’t help but kiss Emma’s cheek again, revelling in the soft scent of soap and baby powder that fills her nose. “Do you want a story before bed?”</p><p>Emma nods. “Story,” she says slowly. “Please.” Beca melts because Emma hasn’t quite mastered all her “l” sounds, so it comes out more like <em>pwease</em> and Beca never thought she’d be <em>that </em>mother but she absolutely wants to record every last thing she does.</p><p>“What books did we bring with us?” Beca asks aloud. She reaches over to the backpack leaning against the bed, pulling out a series of picture books. “Which one tonight?”</p><p>Emma points immediately at her favorite, a story about farm animals which means that Beca will have to make all the animal noises as best as she can.</p><p>She’s horrifically <em>bad </em>at that. Even after years in the music industry and literally doing voice work, she still feels woefully inadequate compared to Chloe.</p><p>“Are you sure?” Beca tries. “What about this one? There’s singing!”</p><p>“Dis one,” Emma says immediately and firmly. Unfortunately her daughter prefers animals over singing. Chloe’s child through and through, Beca thinks with mock-betrayal in her mind.</p><p>“Okay, <em>fine</em>,” Beca says. “But you owe me.”</p><p>Emma nods like she understands.</p><p>Together, they settle back in bed. Beca loves these moments the most, especially in the liminal spaces of the hotel rooms she often finds herself in. Most of the time she’s alone and she longs for the comfort of home. Now, she at least has Emma’s warm body snuggled against her side. She and Chloe have been slowly weaning Emma off from falling asleep in their bed with them, so it’s something that Beca has begun to miss a bit more with each passing day. Emma cuddles into her side, resting her head against Beca’s arm, reaching up to clutch at the fabric of Beca’s shirt. Beca points at each word as she reads, wondering if any of the sentences are really sinking in. Emma giggles—each giggle decreasing in volume—with each animal sound that Beca makes until finally she is silent, her head drooping against Beca’s forearm.</p><p>There is nothing quite like the feeling of successfully helping her child fall asleep comfortably. It is better than any validation Beca could receive.</p><p>Beca flips the book closed and places it gingerly on the side table. She gently maneuvers them both so they both end up under the sheets and kisses Emma’s forehead one last time before she feels exhaustion catch up with her.</p><p>Her last thought before sleep claims her is how incredibly large and empty the bed feels.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Before Beca knows it, it is finally their last day in New York. Emma has unfortunately chosen this day to be grouchy and refuses to wake up early so that they can catch their flight back to Los Angeles.</p><p>“Don’t you want to see mommy?” Beca pleads, trying to pull Emma’s leggings on. Baby clothes are somehow the hardest pieces of clothing Beca has ever had to wrestle with. “Don’t you want to see mommy and baby?”</p><p>“Mommy,” Emma whines.</p><p>Beca senses an impending tantrum. “Hey, hey, we’re going home, okay? Don’t you want to tell mommy all about your trip? And how much of a big girl you are now?”</p><p>“Go home now?” Emma asks, sniffling.</p><p>“Yes! Aren’t you excited? I’m excited. We get to see mommy again!”</p><p>Emma allows her to put a sweater over her head, though she still stares at Beca with mild disdain in her blue eyes like she isn’t quite sure what she agreed to. Beca is obsessed with her.</p><p>“Come on, little weirdo.” She picks Emma up off the bed, ignoring her squirming. “Let’s go home.”</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Emma, who had been on the verge of sleep the entire drive from the airport, is suddenly wide awake as the car pulls around the corner of their street. Beca laughs when Chloe flings the door open and has to literally hold onto the back of Emma’s shirt as to stop her from launching right out the window.</p><p>“Okay, <em>now </em>you can go,” Beca says, opening the door for her.</p><p>Emma shrieks happily and toddles up the path to their house right into Chloe’s arms. Chloe, who immediately bends down as best as she can to sweep her into a tight hug. As Beca approaches with their bags, making sure to shut the gate behind her, she hears Emma babbling nonsensically to Chloe about their trip, ostensibly. Beca catches the tail end of a few words like “Dog” and “Julia” and “Mama”. It <em>almost </em>sounds like an entire paragraph of coherent sentences. Almost.</p><p>“Hey you,” Chloe says once Emma releases her and wanders into the house, likely in search of her toys. “Oh my God, are you Beca Mitchell?”</p><p>Beca rolls her eyes, pushing her sunglasses up above her forehead. “Shut up, nerd. How have you been,” she asks, tone softening.</p><p>Chloe’s palm touches her stomach, a soft smile stretching across her face. “Still pregnant.”</p><p>“I can see that,” Beca says before she can help herself.</p><p>Chloe swats her immediately. “Don’t be rude.”</p><p>“I’m not!” Beca exclaims, laughing. She bends down to press a soft kiss to Chloe’s stomach, only slightly disappointed when there isn’t a kick in return.</p><p>“She’s missed you.”</p><p>“<em>She</em> has?” Beca asks, straightening so she can cup the back of Chloe’s neck. She smiles, leaning in for a kiss, sighing longingly against Chloe’s lips. “What about...other people? Have there been others who have missed me?”</p><p>“<em>I’ve</em> missed you,” Chloe murmurs, giving in far quicker than Beca expected. She pulls Beca in for a slow, wanting kiss, ending the kiss with a soft nip to Beca’s lower lip.</p><p>Beca shivers, even as the hot California sun beats down on the back of her neck.</p><p>She is so happy to be home.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks for reading. As always, please feel free to come chat with me on <a href="http://isthemusictoblame.tumblr.com/">Tumblr</a>. :)</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>